Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to a standard four-wheeled roller skate that has a padded seat instead of a boot or shoe.
Roller skates are widely available and typically consist of a skate frame and a boot or shoe which is attached to the frame to allow a user to wear a skate on each foot as a form of recreational footwear for wheeled locomotion. The skate frame is made up of a plate which has four rollers or wheels mounted in pairs at a front axle and a rear axle. The axles are attached to the plate with support trucks, the trucks typically having an optional single or double action. The boot or shoe is typically bolted or otherwise secured to the upper-surface of the plate.
The use of such roller skates requires a notable degree of coordination as well as exceptionally large and smooth surfaces on which to skate upon, which limits the use of such Roller skates to xe2x80x9croller rinksxe2x80x9d and other specialized skating centers which are well known in the art.
By replacing the boot with a padded seat a single roller skate may be converted into an easily controlled, compact, low-profile vehicle capable of being ridden upon by a person of even limited coordination, such as a small child, upon virtually any surface, such as the floors of a home.
Skateboards or coasting boards are known in the art. Two examples of such boards are U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,166, to McCosker and U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,252, to Strand. The board disclosed by Strand is intended to have a user ride upon the board while standing. The board has an elongated riding surface to better provide purchase for the riders""s feet, as well as independently mounted and moveable wheel carriages. The board disclosed by McCosker discloses a similar elongated board which has much larger wheels but retains the elongated riding surface as well as the independently mounted wheel carriages.
Unlike the present invention, the somewhat large size and elongated shape of the Strand and McCosker boards make them unsuitable for operation in the close confines of a typical home.
In light of the shortcomings described above, what is needed is a more compact roller vehicle which is capable of being readily controlled by a rider in a seated position.
The invention is directed to a roller skate wherein the boot or shoe is replaced with a padded seat. Replacing the boot with a padded seat provides for a skate vehicle which may be ridden as opposed to worn. Such a vehicle may be used by a person of even limited coordination or skill, such as small children. By shifting of the riders weight upon the padded seat the skate may be steered. Such a vehicle may be propelled by gravity, such as on an inclined surface; by the application of force by the rider""s feet or hands or by being pushed or pulled by an external force.
The compact size of the roller skate and padded seat provides a vehicle that may be used within the confines of a typical home.
The padded or formed seat allows the rider to engage in a variety of unique movements be repositioning themselves on the seat and by shifting their weight in any direction. For example, a rider may reposition his or herself in order to displace more of their weight to the front wheels of the vehicle. This action will allow the rear wheels to be brought slightly off of the ground due to the increased weight to the front of the vehicle.
When this action is accompanied by a shift in weight of the ridder to the right or left, the front wheels will pivot in an extremely tight turn in the desired direction. Such a maneuver is merely one example of the improved locomotion characteristics allowed by the present invention. Other maneuvers and uses of the present roller skate vehicle will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.